Harness tug



S. H. HAAS.

HARNESS TUG.

(Model.)

atented Mar.

` position as soon as it is free to move.

NTTE TATES PATENT TriesGJ SAMUEL II. IIAAS, OF CHICAGO, ILL., ASSIGNORCHARLES J. IVRIGHT.

HARNESS-Tue.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 294,872, dated March11, 1884.

Application filed August S` 1883. V(Model.)

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, SAML. H. Hans, of Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHarness-Tags; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art'to which it pertains to make andV use it, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification. A

My inventionrelatcs to an improvement in harness-tugs; and it consistsin the combination of a harness-tug which is open at its top and whichhas a spring snap or catch attached to its outer end, the snap being soarranged that the shaft in sinking into position'will force the snapback until the shaft has passed by it, when the snap springs back intoplace again.

The object of my invention is to provide a harnesstug which is open atits top so the shafts will drop Areadily into place, and thus enable oneside ofthe horse to be harnessed be- -fore going around to the other,and to provide a tug in which there is no friction upon the shafts, andis thus not liable to cause the saddle to rub against the horses back insuch a manner as to make it sore. Y

Figure 1 is a side eleva-tion of my invention complete. Figs. 2 and 3are edge views of the same taken from opposite sides. l

A represents the tug, which is made U shaped, one of the prongs beingpreferably somewhat shorter than the other. This tug differs from thoseheretofore made in that it is always open at the top, so that the shaftcan drop readily into place as soon as itis placed between the twoprongs of the tug. Pivoted upon a rod, a, which is secured in suitablebearings upon the outer side of the upper end of the shorter prong ofthe tug, is the spring snap or catch B,which will preferably bemade ofthe shape here shown. Around the rod upon which the snap is pivoted isplaced a snitable coil-spring, C, which returns the snap in The lowerend of the snap passes through an opening made in the prong, to whichthe snap is secured, so that when the snap is pushed outward this endpasses outthrough the opening, as shown in dotted lines. In order thatthis snap may take up no room and thus interfere with the movement ofthe shaft, there is a recess made in the inner side of the prong, intowhich the upper portion of the snap sinks when it is forced backward.This snap, after the shaft has dropped into place, catches over its topand prevents the shaftfrom rising upward. This snap, being made toentend outward over the top of the shaft, and having its lower portioncurved, as showi'nwill catch upon the top of the shaft `and prevent anyfriction upon the -tug or shaft which would have a tendency to cause thesaddle of the harness to make the back of the horse sore. This tug beingopen at its top, when the shafts are dropped downward upon oppositesides of the horse, if either one of them catches in the tug theyasinkinto place at once without any adjustment ofthe horse or vehicle forthat purpose. This construction. enables the shaft upon one side to becaught in the tug, and then the person can go on and harness up thehorseon one side without having to go around on the other side to iii-stadjust the tug on that side upon the shaft.

Most tugs heretofore made have been closed at the top either by means ofa spring-snap or because the tug has been made round or oval in shape.This construction only causes eXtra expense in construction and moretrouble in the adjustment and arrangement of parts, and allows so muchvmovement that the working of the saddle will injure the horses back.These troubles are entirely overcome by the construe` tion here shown.In order to still more cheapen and simplify the tug, I entirely dispensewith the usual form of attachment to the tug and form the buckle bymeans of which the supporting-strap is attached to the tug as a part ofthc tugitself. For this purpose the rod II will be cast as a part of thetug, and then the tongue I of the buckle will be attached thereto. Theupper part of the tug has a frictionsroller, L, placed upon it for thestrap to bear against. The lower end of the strap passes between the twokeepers O O, which are castas a part of the tug. This constructiongreatly simplifies and cheapens the tug in every respect,while itincreases the strength and durability of the same in every way.

I am aware that harncss-tugs have heretoi fore been made which areprovided with springs or spring-catches at their upper ends, whichsprings or catches elose the bugs at their tops, so that they are alwaysclosed7 and this l dis claim. 3 Having thus described my invention7 lClaim- 1. Aharnesstug consisting,substantially,of :m U-slmpedhodynornmflly open at its top, in combination with the spring-enteh,which is ro pivoted to the outer prongof the tng,suid enteli normallyprojecting,` downward into the 'tug und adopted to Quteli over the topof the thill, substantially us set forth.

2. A harness-tug eonsistingsuhstnnt inlly,oi"

a. U-slioped body normally open at its upper r 5 portion, provided withnbuekle at its top and :L strap-loop ntitsbottom, in combination withthe springeateli pivoted to the outer prong oi' the tug, smid eatennormally projecting downward into the tug and adapted to engage with 2othe top of the tliill7 substantially ils set forth. In testimony whereofI :iffi my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

S. ll. MAAS..

\\"i l nesses:

F. A. Lnnnixx, A.. S. Pirrisox.

